'Farewell, My Queen' review: View from inside the French Revolution

View full sizeCohen MediaLea Seydoux plays a lady-in-waiting who finds herself entangled in the French Revolution in "Farewell My Queen."

A common alternative to more straightforward historical writing is the witness-to-history approach. Whether fictional or not, whether from the perspective of Idi Amin's doctor or Judah Ben-Hur, these sorts of stories promise a more intimate, relatable view of epic events. Director Benoit Jacquot's "Farewell, My Queen" offers just such a fresh, provocative perspective on the first tumultuous days of the French Revolution, even if its enigmatic main character never fully comes alive.

She's the fictional Sidonie Laborde (Léa Seydoux), a functionary at the Palace of Versailles whose job is to read books aloud to the frequently bored Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger). The film begins on July 14, 1789, the day the Bastille is stormed, and ends four days later, never leaving Versailles until its final scenes. As the palace gradually descends into chaos, it becomes apparent that Sidonie's loyalty to her queen borders on fixation, and Marie's infatuation with her intimate friend Gabrielle de Polignac (Jacquot regular Virginie Ledoyen) leads to an erotically charged triangle.

This psychological intensity doesn't really ramp up until the final act, which means wading through a lot of petty court intrigue and interchangeable French nobility to get there. But the movie ultimately has something potent to say about the ways ordinary people, caught up in history's waves, can either drown or surf. (99 min., rated R, Fox Tower) Grade: B